After we left the Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, we went to the Potteries.

potteries

more-potteries

The Potteries is more than just the pottery market, although it is that as well. You can also find metalwork, tile and mosaics, basket and trellis weaving, rugs and of course locally made lamps, plates, bowls, vases, platters, and much more.

endofalley

We were in a hurry. We’d spent more time than intended at the hospital, and it was already late afternoon. We had to be back by 6 so that I could go along to sign the rental contract on our new place. So we were a bit rushed, but it was okay. I was there long enough to get a feel for the place, and know I definitely want to go back.

3tables

A fun atelier

atelier

They make rugs and trellises and shopping baskets, too.

basketweaving

bikeladder

Our new place has a lovely terrace; picture us having our morning coffee out there on this sweet little table. And there’s a lovely fountain rather like the one pictured here (to the back) in the garden, although on the landlord’s side.

ilsatable

Yeah. Works for me too.

Oh yes, she said all casually, we do have a house. At last. En fin. We have keys and a friendly, helpful landlord who lives on the bottom floor and there’s even a daffodil blooming in the garden. My favorite flower. I tried to force them to grow (you know, when you put them in the freezer for 6 weeks to mess with their little minds so they think it’s winter)  in Mauritania for years, without success. We move in Sunday, which is the twins’ 12th birthday. Ironically, on Elliot’s 12th birthday, we left our house in Mauritania. 20 months of being unsettled, saying things like “If I lived here…”, over at last. Ça y est. I must admit enjoying it when life is symmetrical like this.

And you might get sick of me in the next few days. I’m going to try to post every day, so that you won’t even miss me when I go an as-yet-undetermined period of time without internet next week. This will be in between buying everything needed to furnish a house at least minimally, until we can finally get our household items from Mauritania, where they’ve spent the last 20 months in a friend’s garage.

The only thing I bought at the Potteries this time was some clay for Ilsa. For about 50 cents she got an enormous lump of it, and spent the next morning happily making things.

mylittlesculptor

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